Method of applying paint



1937- c. c. MORRISON METHOD OF APPLYING PAINT Filed April 10, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Gkarlss C'JTorrson BY QQNVWKTATTORNEYI Nov. 16, 1937. c. c. MORRISON METHOD OF APPLYING PAINT Filed April 10, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Charles Cffiforrzson;

BY P JIM ATTORNEY,

Patented Nov. 16, 1937 UNITED STATES METHOD OF APPLYING PAINT Charles C. Morrison, Easton, Pa., assignor to Binney and Smith 00., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application April 10, 1935, Serial No. 15,552

4 Claims.

The presentinvention relates to an improvement in a method of applying paint in the painting of pictures with plastic colors, such as are used by artists. Such plastic colors or pig- 5 ments may be in the usual form, in collapsible tubes, known as oil colors, where the pigments are mixed With linseed oil to the desired viscosity or consistency, or such pigments may be mixed with any other suitabl semi-liquid or plastic base,

such as will ultimately dry and set the colors.

Further improvements lie in the method of spreading and blending the colors upon the surface of the picture plane, together with means for a stippling of the colors thereon thus creating a texture of the painted-on film of paint, not heretofore effected, thereby permitting of rough or smooth applications of plain color to portions of the picture, or permitting of rough or smooth, gradual blendings of two or more colors. Further,

the herein method of applying color permits of color picturization in bold strokes, or with any desired sharpness of detail, and also a velvety distribution of the colors, and also broken and random high light and shadow color blocking and mixing, such as is used to depict distant or near masses of foliage, as in landscape paintings.

A further improvement is in the structure of the means used to apply the color to the canvas or other paint receiving surface, as a substitute for the customary hair filled brushes. As will be hereinafter noted, the means for applying the color comprise one or a plurality of, preferably, moulded soft rubber applicators each having a variety of forms and surfaces, as will hereinafter appear in detail, each such applicator being adapted to aid in attaining, by reason of its individual surface characteristics, some desired tech nical delineating, or color nuance, or effect, not normally or easily attainable by ordinary methods of color picturization.

The improvements further consist in the methods of applying and blending colors. This method is not possible by means heretofore employed in painting; and the invention, therefore further consists in applying the color or in bringing about new functions in the above method by means of a rubber brush of the kind described. Thus by means of an applicator having a soft elastic rubber spatulate brush member thickened at the inner end and having a wide applying face,

it is possible to apply a small quantity of the color, paint or other material to a surface, drawing the color material along the surface by means of said face, while pressing the face against the material and surface, causing said fiat face to press upon the material with a pressure extending continuously across the path of movement of the brush, the pressure of adjacent parts of the rubber member being substantially independently elastic and sufficiently firm to press the ma 5 terial to a film or to a thicker layer of desired thickness depending upon the pressure, the friction of the rubber, exerting a firm drag against movement of the brush along said surface.

This method and applicator are particularly 10 suitable for applying different colors to a surface and mixing and blending them by drawing them together on the surface and along the surface, while exerting upon the mixture a firm yielding pressure on substantially all parts of an area 15 extending continuously across the path of the brush member, said pressure being sufficiently firm and uniform to squeeze and blend the colors together and to form a transparent film or layer of desired thickness, depending upon the pressure 20 or repeated strokes on the same part of surface.

The foregoing, and other features of advantage will appear as the herein description proceeds, and it is obvious that modifications may be made, in the methods herein outlined, or in the appli- 25 cator structure herein disclosed, Without departing from the spirit hereof or the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a view of an applicator in elevation, 30 with the handle portion broken away;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the applicator of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view, taken on line 33, Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the 35 arrows;

Fig. 4 is a View, similar to Fig. 1, but showing a modified form of surface on the spatulate member of the applicator;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the device of Fig. 4; 40

Fig. 6 is a side elevation similar to Fig. 5, but with only one surface thereof modified, another surface being fiat;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged, fragmentary surface View of a pattern applied or executed by the modified 45 face of the applicator of Fig. 4, 5 or 6, the pattern being applied by a straight, longitudinal stroke of the applicator;

Fig. 8 is a transverse section enlarged of the spatulate member of Fig. 4, taken on the line 8-8, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 9 is a front elevation of another modified form of applicator having its opposite surfaces modified by a brambling, for stippling' purposes; 55

Fig. 10 is a side view of Fig. 9, showing both side faces of Fig. 9 as brambled;

Fig. 11 is a single faced stippler, brambled on one face only, in side elevation;

Fig. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the type of marking made by the application of the devices of Figs. 9, 10 and 11;

Fig. 13 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken on line l3l3, Fig. 9, looking in the direction of the'arrows;

Fig. 14 is a rear elevation of a further modified Figs. 21 and 22 are front and side of an applicator having a multiple ended tip;

. Fig. 23 is a side elevation of an applicator similar to that shown in Fig. 21, with V-shaped end portion forming spaced end edges;

Figs. 24 and 25 are front and side elevations, respectively, of a further modification in an applicator; I

Fig. 26 is a perspective view of the applicator of Fig. 17, showing the opening in the ferrule end 'of the device to receive the tip end of the brush handle for manipulation;

Fig. 2'7 is-a fragmental perspective View showing the tip end of the handle for fitting the ferrule of the applicators of Figs. 18 to 31;

Fig. 28 illustrates one form of locking means for locking an applicator to a handle;

cator of Fig. 23, illustrating the action of the tip 'Fig. 29 is a sectional View taken on the line 2929, of Fig. 28, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 30 is a fragmentary side View of the applithereof in use;

Fig. 31 is a sectional view taken on the line 3 l 3|, Fig. 17, looking in the direction of the arrows, illustrating the use of two forms of rubber, of unlike degrees ofhardness or temper; and

Fig. 32 is a diagrammatic View illustrating an applied paint film.

V In all figures illustrating applicators,'like numerals indicate like parts throughout.

The applicator of Figs. 1, 2, and 3, as shown comprises a moulded rubber body or member generally denoted by A, being of spatulate form, as

at 5, 6, 1, having smooth opposite faces 5--6 and having an integral socketed brush handle engaging ferrule 2 which is of cylindrical cross section and has a bore. 3, shown dotted therein, having an interior ribbed annulus 4, which engages in an annular groove located in the applicator-engaging end of the wooden handle I. The wooden handle I is of an extensive length, but is broken away, as in Fig. 1', for convenience in showing.

The spatulate member A, as shown in the enlarged section in Fig. 3, has smooth parallel surfaces 66 having rounding margins therearound, which may meet in a medial, peripheral edge I all around the spatulate portion 5, and which edge may merge into the lower end of the ferrule portion 2. This edge portion may, if preferred, be half-round, without the medial edge 1. It

will further be noted that, while the opposite edges 1--'! of, the spatulate member are slightly divergent, from the lower edge 1 towards the ferrule end 2, the corners of the spatulate are rounded. Thus, the tendency of the spatulate member when used to spread and blend paint upon a surface is (due to the rounding peripheral edge) to smooth the paint down without anypaint scraping action; and where two or more colors are usedfor obtaining desired tints, the colors may be worked or blended together by successive strokes of the spatulate member upon the picture plane, until the desired tint is obtained. Then the colors may be spread to an ever Widening area upon the picture plane until the desired area is covered and the desired effects are accomplished. The applicator may be used exactly as a fiat brush would be used, by stroking the alternate faces 66 upon the paint on the surface of the picture plane, or canvas, thus to blend and distribute the color over the desired area. It has been found that the pe culiar texture of the surface of the soft rubber spatulate 5, and its flexibility adapts it for perfect application of paint, due to the frictional qualities of the rubber and the tendency of the semi-liquid or plastic paint to be evenly distrib uted, or intermixed when blending, under the soft, gentle squeezing pressure exerted upon the paint by the spatulate member. The action of the applicator, during the painting operation is not that of a squeegee, but is similar to a kneading and spreading action, the paint being gradually kneaded out in all directions upon the canvas into film-like proportions, into any degree of tenuosity and transparency. Thus, the color or tint which may be of an opaque nature may be spread as a film until it becomes substantially semitransparent in some areas of distribution and opaque in other areas, this action being entirely due to the structural features and functions of the applicator of Figs. 1 and 2.

In applying or stroking paint with the above noted applicator, the alternating stroking is always done in a direction away from its lower edge margin 1, Fig. 1, in a direction opposite to the arrows 3-3, and to prevent scraping off of paint, the opposite side edges 'll, Fig. 1, as previously pointed out are rounding,and divergent in the direction of the painting stroke and thus tend to flatten down and smoothly distribute and spread the paint upon the canvas.

In addition to the above new functions and advantages, my new applicators have the further advantage that they may be very quickly and easily cleaned merely by wiping them off. A single applicator may be instantly cleaned of one color and immediately used for another color, thus'allowing the use of one of the new applicators in the place of a number ofhair brushes heretofore used. This, together with the fact that the applicator can be much more economically manufactured than the hair brush, effects a very great saving of time and money to the artist.

Because of the action of the pressure forces of the soft uniformly highly elastic rubber spatulate member thickened at the inner or handle end, the action is different from previous applicators; and rounded edges and continuous smooth wide flat face have special functions. The flat face may be used to apply a small quantity of the paint or color material to the surface and then drawing the material along the surface by means of said face, while pressing the face against the material, causing said flat face to press upon the material with a firm yielding pressure simultaneously to all parts of an area engaged by said face, said face moving along and extending across and along the path of the brush, the pressure of said face extending continuously across said area and path and all approximately infinitesimal intermediate parts of said area. The pressures of the spatulate member of Fig. 1 on closely adjacent parts of said area are substantially independently elastic and substantially uniform substantially continuously across a major intra-marginal portion of said path so as to gain a firm grip or bite on the canvas or other surface, the pressure gradually decreasing near the rounded margins toward the edges, to spread the material to the sides of the path, the pressure markedly decreasing at said rounded edges.

The pressure of the face 6 is sufiiciently firm and uniform to squeeze the material to any thickness from a smooth thick layer to a transparent film, depending upon the pressure applied to the member or the number of strokes used. The pressure is suificient to blend the material or color with said surface or a previously laid material, or to blend a mixture of colors; and said face 6 has sufficient friction to exert a firm drag against movement of the member along the path of the stroke.

Different colors may be mixed and blended by drawing them together on the surface and along the surface, while exerting upon the mixture the firm yielding pressure of the face 6 on substantially all parts of an area extending continuously across the path of the pressure, said pressure being sufficiently firm and uniform to squeeze and blend the colors together and to form a transparent film or layer of desired thickness, depending upon the pressure and number of strokes.

As it isdesirable in many instances to treat different portions or areas of a scene or picture with a somewhatdifferent technique, and to accomplish different efiects, the spatulate member may be modified as in Figs; 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 14, and 15, by slightly altering the contours and painting surfaces thereof. For instance, the spatulate member 8 of the applicator B, Fig. 4, may, as shown in Fig. 8, have both opposite bases provided with moulded on ribs such as 99, whereby the spatulate member when used to apply paint to a surface, such as P, Fig. '7, will lay a series of parallel lines 9'. When this applicator B is stroked successively at random, and out of the parallelism indicated in Fig. 7, it will create a cross-hatching effect in the laid media.

Fig. 6 is similar to Figs. 4 and 5, except that the spatulate member 8' of applicator C is at a slight angle as viewed sidewise and has only one face provided with spaced ribs 9, the other face 9 being smooth for use somewhat as the face 6 of Figs. 1 to 3.

Figs. 9, 10, and 11, show another different type applicator, the applicator D having both faces, as at Fig. 10, provided with a plurality of spaced,

hemispherical brambles I I, on its opposed painting faces I0, these brambles being shown at III I, Fig. 13 in sectioned enlargement.

Fig. 11 discloses, in side elevation, a modified applicator, which is somewhat similar to that shown in Fig. 6, except that the brambles II, on the applicator E, Fig. 11, are substituted on the inclined surface I ll", instead of the protuberances 9, as in Fig. 6. The other inclined face I 0", is smooth somewhat as the face 6 of Fig. 1.

The use of the brambles of the last described applicator is to apply and spread paint by stippling the same; about as indicated at II, in Fig.

12, on surface P, wherein the paint II may be blended, and spread or distributed as desired, over the picture area, giving a different texture to the picture. This applicator may also be used, brush-like in the form shown in Figs. 9 and 10.

In Figs. 14 and 15, there is shown a rubber applicator F which may be used somewhat similar to a palette knife, to trowel on color by its single inclined, fiat face I4 on the spatulate member I2. Its tapering end may also be used for blocking in, blending and distributing color on smaller areas when greater detail is required. It may be also used, due to its cross-sectional contour, as in Fig. 16, to scrape off applied paint G from picture or palette surface P by moving the applicator F with its surface I4 fiat on the surface P, in the direction of the adjacent arrow, thus to pick up the soft paint, as at G. Thus this latter applicator E has features and functions which add to the effectiveness of the method herein involved.

In the Figs. 18 to 31, are illustrated further modifications of spatulate applicators, of various shapes and forms, embodying the same functions as those described for Figs. 1 to 15, plus additional functions, as will appear hereinafter.

In Figs. 1'7 and 18 are shown a fragmented handle I, having, as in Fig. 27, a reduced or stepped tip, or extension 3', having a shoulder 3 against which the top of the ferrule 2 of the spatulate member I rests, thereby to act, with the bottom edge of tip 3' and the bottom of bore 3 of the ferrule, as a stop to prevent upward movement or creep of the spatulate I upon the handle. This feature is important because it permits of proper pressure of the spatulate member during the color laying and blending operations. It also permits the provision of a plurality of spatulate members of different forms to be furnished with one handle whereby spatulate members may be readily substituted, one for the other, as desired. The handle tip 3' in this modification, as in Fig. 27, is rectangular, to prevent rotation of the spatulate during use, while allowing easy removal and replacement of spatulate members, as desired.

The spatulate members of Figs. 18 to 31 may be composed of two different kinds of rubber, as illustrated in Fig. 31, which is a transverse section of Fig. 17, this difference being indicated by the cross-hatching and appurtenant Word hard directed to the bored ferrule portion 2, which receives the handle tip, and the word soft directed to the spatulate flexible end I5. Thus While the rubber of the ferrule may be of tough, semiflexible rubber, the tip I5 may be of medium or extremely soft, pliable rubber, having a maximum of tractive surface effect, the hard and soft portions, as at the zone X, Fig. 31, being gradually merged, or intermixed with one another so that in effect, the splatulate member gradually ranges from a thin, pliant tractive tip I5 to a tough handle engaging ferrule 2, with gradual changes of temper, the extremes of which are adapted at one end to pliably, and with suitable tractive friction, engage with and blend the paint, while at the other end it is stiff enough to press the softer portion firmly upon the surface being covered, when desired, and to form an efiicient ferrule on the brush handle I.

The spatulate member of Figs. 1'7 and 18, is as shown in Fig. 26, rectangular in its ferrule portion 2, and gradually merges downwardly into a converging, angular and flexible tip end IS.

The front elevation of Fig. 17 shows the sides of the end I5 flared outwardly, by curved lines H-" ll, while the applicator tip I6 is approximately straight but slightly downwardly curved.

This contour of the blending and paint-applying end generally denoted by G, thus has geometrically located opposite angular faces lB--l8,

which thus permit said end G to gradually thicken as it approaches the ferrule 2, and thus to become less pliable towards the ferrule end 2. Because of the curve at I! the sharp corners at the ends of the edge 16 receive less support against bending than does the intermediate part of the edge Hi. This construction, with the curved tip edge l6, allows, if desired, the film of paint, Fig. 32, when applied to the surface plane P, to be depressed, as a mass, at its center 42, and thicker at the edge so as to form a distinct edge P. However by continued stroking of the paint, it may be distributed, with any desired degree of evenness or unevenness, over any maximum or minimum picture surface area, from a thick opaque covering, to an attenuated, practically transparent film. This latter feature is one of the important accomplishments of the present structure and method, and gives an artist additional means for added technique in picture painting. This latter feature is a function of all of the modifications shown herein.

Figs. 19 and 20 illustrate a spatulate member which in its side elevation of Fig. 20 is similar to the showing in Fig. 18, but in its front aspect,

as in Fig. 19, the applicator tip end H, has its opposed angular faces 2|, at the lower end l9 merged into an ovoid outline as at 20. The side faces l9'-l9' may be flat in the transverse direction, as are the sides l1l'l, Figs. 17, 18, and

26. The structure of Fig. 19 is useful in blending and scumbling of color and for giving a different texture to applied paint than would result from the use of the spatulate member of Fig, 1B.

In Figs. 21, 22 and 23 there is shown an applicator of somewhat similar structure to that of Fig. 1'7, which is convergent from the ferrule 2, Fig. 22, to its tip end 23, and is divergent from the ferrule 2 to its tip end 23 in its frontal aspect, as in Fig. 21.

The devices of Figs. 22 and 23 are both alike in every respect except at the tip ends 23 and 28 respectively, wherein one end, Fig. 22 is shown slitted, thereby splitting the said end into three parallel tongues 262626; while the form of Fig. 23 has its tip end provided with a V-slot 29, which splits said end into two angular diverging tongues 28--28, the action of which is illustrated in Fig. 30, in which the applicator is shown as being flexed in a paint applying stroke. The purpose of these longitudinally split applicator ends is to provide greater paint-carrying power and greater flexibility at the ends to distribute'color with a brush-like action. The distinction of these split end applicators is that they may be used in a substantially near vertical position, during the painting operation, whereas some of the alternate forms herein may be pressed during paint distribution until they so bend that substantially all or a major portion of the broad contacting applicator face is parallel with the plane of the surface being painted. The tips of the applicator of Fig. 23 may carry paint in the V-slot 29; while the tips of the applicators of both Figs. 22 and 23 are delicate enough to apply and spread paint, when required, somewhat like a brush. The sides 25-25 and 21 of the applicators of Figs. 22 and 23 may also be fiat, like thesides II-I'l of Fig. 26.

Figs. 24 and 25 likewise show front and side elevations, respectively of another application having its paint applying spatulate member 3|] having downwardly tapering edge faces 30, Fig. 25, converging from the ferrule end 2 to the tip end 3| to form the. wide downwardly tapering fiat sides 33 merging from the wide side of the ferrule 2 down tothe narrow tip edge 3|. This latter applicator is for laying, blending and distributing paint with strokes narrower than the strokes of the applicators of Figs. 17, 18, 21, 22, and 26.

In order to increase the friction and drag of the spatulate member in use, the rubber of any of the herein spatulate members, particularly those of Figs. 1, l4 andl'l to 30 may, if desired, have incorporated therein a friction-giving material such as pulverulent zinc oxide, lithopone,

efficient, and in some cases it is preferable to I omit the pulverulent material.

I claim as my invention:

1. 'A method of producing artists pictures from plastic paint or similar materiaL'said method including producing artists picture elements by moving a small non-running mass of the plastic paint along a path over a picture receiving surface with brush like strokes, while at times exerting upon the upper face of the mass a firm yielding pressure throughout a continuous area of said face and across the path of the mass while maintaining the mass at said area entirely beneath the face; said pressure at closely adjacent points being substantially independently firmly elastic and substantially continuous across said path, the pressure at an intra-marginal portion of the path being sufficiently firm to squeeze the material to form a thin layer of desired thickness, the pressure nearer both margins of said path being much less, and forming layers of the paint much thicker than at said thin layer.

. 2. A method of producing artists pictures from plastic paint or similar material, said method including producing artists picture elements by drawing a small non-running mass of the plastic paint along a path on a picture receiving surface with brush like strokes, while exerting upon the upper face of the mass a firm yielding pressure throughout a continuous'smooth area of said face and across the path of the mass while maintaining the mass at said smooth area entirely beneath the face; said pressure at closely adjacegit points being substantially independently firmly elastic and substantially continuous across said path, the pressure along the mid-line portion of said path being sufficiently firm to squeeze the material to form a thin layer of desired thickness, the pressure gradually decreasing toward both margins of said path, and forming layers of paint gradually increasing toward said margins and being several times thicker at the margins than at said mid-line portion; said pressurebeing just sufiiciently firm to exert av substantially predetermined firm-yieldable elastic frictional drag against movement of said face along said surface to facilitate accurate technique.

3. A method of producing artists pictures fron, plastic paint or similar material, said method including producing artists picture elements by drawing a small non-running mass of the plastic paint along a path on a picture receiving surface with brush like strokes, while exerting upon the upper face of the mass a firm yielding pressure throughout a continuous area of said face and across the path of the mass while maintaining the mass at said smooth area entirely beneath the face; said pressure at closely adjacent points being substantially independently firmly elastic and substantially continuous across said path, the pressure being longitudinally extended along spaced parallel intra-marginal longitudinal line portions of the path being sufficiently firm to squeeze the material to form a thin layer of desired thickness at said line portions, the pressure between said line portions being also longitudinally extended, and forming parallel longitudinal ridges of paint thicker than at said line portions.

4. A method of producing artists pictures from plastic paint or similar material, said method including producing artists picture elements by moving a small non-running mass of the plastic paint along a path over a picture receiving surface while exerting at times upon the upper face of the mass a firm yielding pressure throughout a continuous area of said face and across the path of the mass while maintaining the mass at said area entirely beneath the face; said pressure at closely adjacent points being substantially independently firmly elastic and substantially continuous across said path, said pressure at small limited round spaced intra-marginal portions of the path being sufficiently firm to squeeze the material to form at limited areas thin layers of desired thickness, the pressure around said portions forming surrounding layers of the paint thicker than at said limited areas.

CHARLES C. MORRISON. 

